About a year ago, I was in my parents’ living room, where a brand new TV sat in its box, waiting to be set up. My sister-in-law pointed to a woman on the packaging and said, “Oh, that’s Dua Lipa!” I barely knew who she was, so I didn’t think it was weird for the singer to be featured on the box. But at least one person thinks it’s a big deal: Lipa herself.
On Friday, Lipa filed a lawsuit against Samsung for using her image on some of its TV boxes, alleging that its use constitutes copyright infringement, trademark infringement, and a violation of her right of publicity. The complaint (PDF), filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, says that Lipa owns all “rights, title, and interest in the image titled ‘Dua Lipa – Behind the scenes at Austin City Limits, 2024.'”
“Samsung mass-manufactured, distributed (or caused to be distributed), marketed, and sold in interstate commerce across the United States a significant number of its televisions in various sizes in these cardboard boxes containing the [image],” the lawsuit says.
“Samsung’s infringing conduct — the use of Ms. Lipa’s work for zero consideration — makes a mockery of her hard work in building a successful brand and has deprived her of the ability to control and monetize her work,” the complaint reads.
The filing says Lipa learned about the boxes around June 2025 “and immediately demanded that Samsung cease and desist.” However, Samsung was “dismissive and callous, and the Infringing Products remain in the marketplace to this present day, still being sold throughout” the U.S., the filing says. Lipa wouldn’t have allowed the image to be used on Samsung TV boxes, the complaint says, adding:
